Eketahuna halfback proves match winner

The playmaking skills of halfback Hamish McKenzie were the difference between the two teams when Eketahuna beat Carterton 15-10 in their Wairarapa-Bush premier division rugby match at Carterton on Saturday.
With the two packs breaking about even in the battle for possession, the optiion taking of the inside backs became a key part in proceedings and McKenzie was head and shoulders above anybody else in that department.
Carterton, who led 5-3 at halftime, struggled to find space with their tactical kicking, and often looked to run ball when the Eketahuna defensive line was practically sitting in their pockets, whereas McKenzie constantly kept Eketahuna moving in the right direction with either well-judged kicks or by accelerating through gaps himself and linking cleverly with his supports.
In midfield play Adam Fisher, who scored a decisive second half try when he charged down a clearing kick and sprinted 30 metres for the touch down, Eketahuna had another diligent worker on both attack and defence, and while wing Joji Tamani lacked many opportunites to show his pace he looked very dangerous whenever the ball came his way.
Up against a Carterton pack containing a number of Wairarapa-Bush reps and having only one themselves, Eketahuna could have been expected to find the going tough up front, but their forwards worked well as a unit and lost nothing in comparison with their opposites.
Among those to impress with their application were locks Peter Bond and Lance Duffy and flankers Solly Alsop and Josh Mackley.
It was Carterton, though, who had the outstanding forward on the paddock in front rower Joe Harwood, who made several storming runs and helped anchor a solid scrum. Tomasi Kedarabuka was his usual good value in the lineouts and also shone in broken play and Mike Wakefield toiled away honestly in the loose.
Only steady first-five Nathan Sanson impressed amongst a Carterton rearguard which struggled to get any consistency in their play.
McKenzie and Fisher scored tries for Eketahuna, one of which was converted, and Simanu Simanu landed one penalty. Jason Scott scored a try for Carterton with Jono Hurley kicked one penalty and one conversion.
Seven tries were scored in the Marist v Greytown-Tuhirangi match with Marist managing four of them in their 30-25 win.
The hard running Phil Aporo scored two of the Marist tries with others going to Lawrence Matthews and Kyle Karaitiana. Paddy Rimene kicked two penalties and two conversions.
Tavita Isaac, Mike Hollis and Sylvanus Iro were the try scorers for Greytown-Tuihrangi with King Kaiwai adding two penalties and two conversions.
Pioneer, conquerors of Eketahuna in their previous game, continued on their winning way with a 24-14 win over Martinborough, scoring four tries in the process, two of them to lively hooker Erurewa Henare and others to Nathan Rolls and Tevelle Rimene .
Henare was the pick of a Pioneer team which got out to a 19 point lead at one stage, but needed a .late try to seal the win after a determined Martinborough fightback. Rolls was his usual blockbusting self up front and backs to impress were Richard Carroll, Thomas Harmon and Stu Waipuka
Gladstone coach Steve Thompson was a happy man after his team's 33-0 win over East Coast.
Pleasing Thompson the most was the way victory was achieved with Gladstone dominating possession and generally making good use of it.
"It would have to be the best 80 minutes of rugby we have played all season, and that's what we were looking for," he said.
Tim Fleming was an impressive figure at lineout time for Gladstone, and there was some strong running from loosie Mike Spence. Halfback Charlie Bargh was the pick of the backs.